speech. but it is not new. this video we have seen before, covered extensively by the media five years ago, when obama first ran for office. those details did not stop the daily caller and some others from asserting the tape would shake up the campaign. >> people ask me whether they thought raves the reason the response was so slow. i said, well, no this administration was color blind in its incompetence. but, but everyone here knows that the disaster and the poverty happened long before the hurricane hit. >> and then the "huffington post" released what they consider their own bombshell tape, showing paul ryan at what his campaign says was on open forum, this was just last year, 2011. ryan's remarks are now being compared to romney's 47% comment. >> the good news is survey after survey, poll after poll, still

shows that we are a center-right 70/30 country. 70% of americans want the american dream. they believe the american idea. only 30% want the welfare state. >> and republicans are seizing on what vice president joe biden said at a campaign event in north carolina. that set off another war of words. >> how they can justify raiding taxes on the middle class that has been buried the last four years. >> vice president biden just today said that the middle class over the last four years has been "buried." we agree. >> let's bring in the news nation political panel, associate editor and columnist for the "washington post" and msnbc analyst eugene robinson, abby stoddard, columnist for the hill, michael spir mitt romney is con nish, talk show host and chip saltzman, strategist. i would like to start off with

you, is it fair to compare the two tape you the president's tape the conservatives were talking about since last night and the video of congressman ryan saying you 30% of people want to live their lives on welfare is it fair to compare these tapes, especially given the president's tape, then-senator obama, was covered by the media then? >> it a beautiful day in denver today, tamron. first of all. >> nice weather report, eugene. >> obama says nothing new on the tape and it was covered years aleen sirgany but fair it is all fair in politics. if it's on tape, you can put it out. the way it was put out by the daily caller, it was -- i guess you had very to say it was racist in its intent. i mean, clearly, it's supposed to rile up some sort of racial

animus against president obama, but he doesn't really say anything in the tape that's all that con throw ver eggs. so i don't know whether it takes the romney/ryan partisans to harp on that. >> politico's headline was obama '07 video, shock or schlock? obama video reveals everything that we already knew in the l.a. times and "huffington post," drudge daily caller hype old obama speech trolling entire political world. chip, i want to bring you in on this, kevin madison with the romney campaign, he was on cbs, he was asked about this tape. let me play it. >> we believe, as a campaign, i think governor romney believes what is most relevant is the president's policies and how they are affecting the economy today, how they are affecting people's bottom line, how they are affecting household incomes. >> does this show a priority list difference, perhaps some of the conservative commentators, chip, wanting to find their a ha moment to get back, i guess,

that the 47% video of romney as opposed to what kevin madden says answered the campaign would like to talking about, the priorities getting this economy turned around? is there a divide within conservatives in the party on how to fight back? >> when you are running a campaign and there's other groups doing everything, always doing something else. kevson very smart, keeping it focused on jobs and the economy and the romney campaign. and i think the only a ha is going to matter today about 9:01 when the debate starts and these two guys are on the same stage together. i think we are not going to be talking about videos or gotcha videos or anything else tomorrow or tonight or tomorrow, it is going to be about the debate it is going to be reset about 9:01 tonight. >> i don't know if that is necessarily true. we may not be talking about a ha moments but chip don't you think we are going to talk about that 47% will not come up in the debate tonight? >> i think it will come up very early in the debate. mitt romney has got to -- i think he will define the debate in this answer, whether he is going to be defensive about it or whether he is going to got

offense about it. i think that will probably define the whole debate, because it is going to be about the economy tonight. >> these tapes do matter, at least one tape will matter, and that being the one at the private fund-raiser? >> tamron, what i'm talking about everybody is throwing out the videos, a gotcha moment. i think the voters that matter, the undecided, are not concerned about the videos but the direction of the country. i think at 9:00 tonight, the first time, we are going to see both of these folks on stage giving their personal views on what they want to do with this country. i think that's going to be the moment that matters. >> let me get michael n you talked to people all day around the country. some of those people, conservatives, many i imagine are independents as well. i'm curious, off situation here, i know chip said some people on the other side. but you have the drudge report, the daily caller, some of the biggest voices in conservative television and radio last night were saying this was the tape that would up-end this campaign. they, at least, thought this

2007 video of senator obama at the time, that's already been online, it was already covered, was somehow going to help mitt romney going into this debate perhaps? >> i have been discussing it the last two hours and i have heard from a number of folks who are in that gop base who are enthused about that videotape. me, i want 40 minutes of my life back, i got sucked into the whole drum, he had the flashing light on the website and tune in at 9:00. >> i want more of that you got sucked n you went on the site. you saw this, the other race speech, big headline and you clicked on thinking that -- >> i did. and then tamron, what straightened me sought that i saw that lynn sweet from the "chicago sun-times" five years ago had put the entire transcript online. in fact, i tweeted the transcript once i saw it. now, i then hear from callers who say, well, it is the intonation of the voice or it's when he deviated from the script r i can tell you, because i

invested the time. the deviation of the script didn't change the overall purpose of the speech. one thing they don't draw your attention to, how often he praised, he, meaning president obama, praised jesus christ. this was very much a speech about his faith. of course, if you say that, it runs contrary to the other narrative that they put out about t. >> ab, let me get you in on this i think michael hit on something, people now looking at intonation and words that could have other meetings and that brings me to the joe biden video his comments made yesterday. he had to clarify what he meant regarding middle class people being buried the last four years. let me play what he said in his clarification and what stephanie cutter said on "morning joe." >> the middle class was buried by the policies that romney and ryan supported. as bill clinton said you all they are suggesting now when he is asked about this, and he's a the best, he made the comment, he said, what they are proposing is bush economic policies on

steroids. >> if you look at what the vice president said and what he has been saying on the campaign trail, is that the middle class has been buried by the exact same policies that mitt romney and paul ryan want to go back to. >> so, kevin madden didn't want too touch that 2007 obama video but the campaign certainly wanted to touch on vice president joe biden's comments. they have got a t-shirt up now, says honest joe, applauding his comments regarding the middle class being buried. what do you make of this back and forth, ab? will it matter tonight? >> i think it might come up and the president will find a wake as he has in the past, that's joe bind, he didn't mean that and what he meant was because of the financial collapse of september of 2008 and even the beginnings of the recession we saw once before that the middle class has been buried and hasn't been able to come out from under what is the sequences of an economic downturn. i think vel to explain that

away. of course, will have to answer tonight to the damage that the 47% video has done to his campaign and we see it in the polls. that's why conservatives are eager to find something to be critical of joe biden about, of president obama about, they are hunting for secret videotapes or even not so secret videotapes and that is -- that's -- you know, firing up the base at this point is also the goal for them. what republicans have the democrats don't have as we see in the new nbc poll, is that they really are more enthusiastic. romney needs to keep them enthusiase -- enthusiastic. >> bob woodward was on with morning joe. an interesting moment, eugene. referring to a conversation we had senator john mccain about what you need to present to people during debate. we know yesterday you talked about this, which mitt romney

will show up tonight? ab is talking about keeping the conservative base fired up or perhaps trying to go after the other people he would need to win here. let me play what bob said on "morning joe." >> i remember in the 1990s once asking john mccain is it possible and he asked -- actually asked the question is it possible to run for president and be true to yourself? he ran for president. a lot of people would say he wasn't true to himself. i asked him a couple of months ago, what's the answer to that question? and he said, i don't know. >> what do you make of that, eugene? even senator john mccain. we saw this. the guy was supposed to be the maverick. he was consumed by the sarah palin hurricane or whatever you choose to describe that event as being what we witnessed. but he did not know or does not know. >> well, this is quite a process isn't it, tamron? >> mm-hmm. >> the environment is such that

every -- every step you take, every move you make, to quote sting, is -- everybody will be watching you. it's -- everything so focus group now. we slice and dice every nothing segments, walmart moms or office park dads or whatever and you have to get them here and you have to get them there. if you get caught up in that, i think, there is a danger of losing sight of a larger pitcher and losing yourself. and i think that's what people will be watching for tonight, they don't want a pitch at office park dads. they want -- they want the candidates to speak to the country. >> but i'm curious, michael, how many people do you think are watching, not asking for an exact number, i don't think you walk around counting folks, your idea on thoughts, how many you believe, what percentage are actually watching this debate tonight to have their minds changed or to pick a candidate

or are folks watching to have an amen moment from the person they have already voted for perhaps in early voting or they plan to vote for? >> i think darn few are looking who are not already decided. when you look at the internals of, for example, that most recent nbc news/"wall street journal" survey, support runs deep, people are very passionate. so, to gene's point, governor romney tonight needs to go into the living rooms of the buckeye state. he needs to reach people in ohio, in particular who, tamron, are up for grabs because if he can't turn things around in that state, it's not going to happen. >> but to michael's point, chuck todd was discussing this morning, there is a conversation of whether or not mitt romney will pull out of ohio. he is significantly behind and perhaps put resources in other states such as wisconsin. so, if michael's theory correct that he needs to focus on the folks in the buckeye state and win them over, he is down nine or ten points depending on the

poll there again this is not his first time running for president and this is not his first time reintroducing himself. how does he make it different tonight? >> well, i think what they said earlier is exactly right. got to speak right to the voters. i think ohio, a pretty simple mathematical equation there t, e jobs and the economy. mitt romney has had a hard time doing from the first day of the campaign, connect with people and connect with voters. this it will be interesting tonight. the first time we have seen both men on stage. he will have a chance, the first 30 minutes, when most people are paying attention to really make a difference and really kind of change the direction of this election. he has 30 minutes to do it. i hate to say it comes down to 30 minutes. >> that is the reality of life. people are going to sit down, going to have their watching parties. going to watch it alone, whatever. get your snacks out, your mat nachos. i said that because i'm having nachos while watching t >> me, too. >> you're going to watch it.

in 30 minutes, people will reside who is the winner or loser, unless there is a huge moment in the latter part of that debate, chip. >> right, and then what we will do is watch it for 30 minutes, get bored, do something else, finish our nachos, talk about what is doing tomorrow and might get our cliff's notes online. >> eugene, since you are on the ground there, what is the gut feeling, the atmosphere as we do the tick tock to the big debate? >> waiting too see what will happen. could go either way, could be a polite debate there could be a lot of friction. we are not sure which direction it will go. you know, doesn't get any better than this in terms of presidential politics. this is the big time. >> thank you, ab, chip as well, michael, we will see you tomorrow as well. thank you, guys. and there's no shortage, of course, as you heard of opinions of what should be discussed, what should be asked at the debate tonight. coming up, the questions the candidates themselves would hate to hear. we have a list of questions that

could cause the big game-change moment that some people hope will go down tonight. plus, my buddy martin bashir will join us live. necessary denver to discuss the real story behind the tapes that are dominating the political landscape right before the debate. martin's take on those tapes. and join our conversation on twitter. you can find us @tamronhall, or my team at news nation. this happens to be my song of the day. humans -- even when we cross our t's and dot our i's, we still run into problems. namely, other humans. which is why, at liberty mutual insurance, auto policies come with new car replacement and accident forgiveness if you qualify. see what else comes standard

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he knows the job. he's been doing it for quite some time. he's a very good debater so i do

testimony him to have fun and relax and just be himself because the truth is if he is the barack obama the country has come to know and trust, he is going to do a great job. >> i tell him that, you know what, sweetie, you had five boys, you learned to argue really well and make your points years ago. just go with that. >> so of course that was first lady michelle obama and ann romney offering or telling us the advice they offered up to their husbands before tonight's big debate. so, here is quick look at the format, just to catch you up to speed early. president obama won the coin toss and will be introduced first there are no opening statements, the first will answer the first question. the 90-minute debate will be divided into six 15-minute segments on domestic policy, three on the economy and one each on health care, the role of government and governing. closing statements, governor romney won a coin toss and chose to go last, wrapping up the debate. each candidate will have two minutes. as for questions for each candidate, politico's james hoeman, he has his advice for

them and joins us live from the debate site in denver. james, thanks for your time. >> good to see you, tamron. >> absolutely. so you have a list, ten i believe, for each candidate. we broke it down to two that you believe should be posed to the candidates. let start off with the president. first thing up, you say that you would ask about the stimulus, that it was not big enough. specifically, what do you say to the millions of americans who might have jobs today if you had made the 2009 stimulus package bigger? as many leading liberal economists argue it should have been? you came to office promise bold action and in the eyes of many of your supporters blinked with devastating effects on the economy. why do you believe that is an important question for the president? >> tamron, stimulus has become a dirty word and the president has been very defensive about it. they don't like to use the word stimulus. they use the word recovery act.

remember administration's economists coming into office thought they would put in place the stimulus, unemployment would be 5.5% now and perhaps could be if more money had been poured into the economy during that crisis in early 2009. so getting the president to explain why he didn't go that direction. >> why didn't he go bigger? let's go to number two on your list for the president. you say washington seems as toxic today as it was the day you took office. the country was looking for you to unite it and you, yourself, admitted recently that you failed. in retrospect, do you feel that you overestimated your own ability to bridge divides in washington and how do you answer people who say simply obama let me down? why did you put that on the list? >>. >> because there's been so much talk recently about the hope and the change that a lot of people who supported obama in 2008 can't quite get behind romney. they want a reason to vote for obama and they haven't -- they just don't feel like obama has given them a reason yet. that's an opportunity for him to

outline why he hasn't always followed through, why washington didn't change the way that he promised. . let me put the romney list. people can look at it on politico. many people tonight deduct mortgage interest from their income taxes, slashing their tax bim buys thousands of dollars every year. can you guarantee to those viewers you won't eliminate the cherished tax break from the middle class? and at the same time, name one tax loophole you have in your plan to eliminate to help balance the budget? he has been charged is question several time now john -- james, you know that of course. >> romney's problem is he hasn't given us specific, but he hasn't been. he could do change toys the tax code that hurt them. the obama administration running around saying he wants to raise taxes on the middle class. this is his opportunity with 60

million-plus watching to say he wouldn't get rid of the mortgage interest reductionby obviously benefits tens of millions of people every year. >> another one on your list for governor romney, why is it fair you pay a lower tax rate than many low-income and middle-class americans? >> romney got caught up when the tax question came up, famously in south carolina, he said maybe, when asked if woe release more taxes. there needs to be some kind of tax question tonight because the reality is that a lot of folks don't earn very much money in places here like denver are paying a higher percentage of their income than romney. romney believes there should be lower rates for investments but hasn't explained why it is fair that he pays a lower rate. >> quick on your list of questions, many have been asked to the candidates at some point or certainly, prepared to answer.

will you be stunned if the questions on the stimulus on the case of the president or taxes, to romney, go unanswered without the candidate being specific? >> well, i won't be surprised at all but the nice thing about a debate is that i think the moderator, jim lehrer, is going to take a step back and allow the clash between the candidates. i think if romney gives a nonanswer to that question we just talked about obama will say, no, answer that question and that will generate an exciting back and forth and make for a great debate. sfeefrnlt it all goes down that way. james, thank you so much. have fun in denver. coming up, former pennsylvania governor ed rendell joins me live what does he make of the new nbc news/"wall street journal" poll shows president obama and governor romney tied with a among voters would an interest in the leeks. earlier today, the president tweeted 20 years ago today, i married the love of my life and my best friend. happy anniversary, michelle. first lady, twitter replay, thank you for being an incredible partner, friend and

father every day. i love you.

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"code name?" "open sesame" "the all new twenty thirteen ford escape. it's what happens when you go further." our special prime time coverage of the presidential debate begins at 8:00 eastern here on msnbc. after the debate, catch a special midnight edition of "hardball." joining me from denver, colorado, msnbc's martin bashir. marty b. it is so great to have you on. >> how are you? >> i know you're fired up. i guess the rest is ready to go. >> i am. >> nevertheless -- >> do you know, tamron -- >> go ahead. >> tamron, i have not been as excited as this since england played australia in the rugby world cup final in sydney in 2003. the cackle in the air you can feel is just an atmosphere

that's growing by the minute. journalists are arising. students are waking up. guests who will be attending are arriving. there's a real excitement building here. and i think it's going to be a great night. >> i think you're right y, mart. i have to talk but about the scene certificate in the political world today, the tapes so many folks have been buzzing about. first off, let start with the daily caller and drum last night putting this up headline. even michael mir is con nish was on, clicked on what was supposed to be the other race speech, supposed to show the president in some incendiary racial tone and language. turned out to be a speech from 2007, hampton university that had already been highly covered by media, by journalists from all over who there were there, including tucker carlson, who was the person who says he is revealing it all now to the public for the first time. what do you make of this? >> i think the biggest

journalistic scoop since the diaries. talk about not actually being a scoop and i have had a few myself in my career. there was nothing to this. this is 2007. i remember actually watching the tape, i think the beginning of 2008. what did the president, candidate barack obama actually say. he made some comments about resources, he made some comments about federal response to katrina. i mean, it's just a damp squid and i don't think that -- i think if you look at most of the media today, outside of the one that chose to highlight that particular story, not many people are paying it much attention because it is really frankly not worth much attention. what's new about it? you tell me, tamron. >> nothing new about it. i thought you were going to compare to al capone's vault, a big television special here in the states. >> no, no, hitler's die ritz were better. hitler's diaries were better.are better. hitler's diaries were better.

urge i have to switch you around to congressman ryan's tape the "huffington post" revealed where he is talking about 70% of american public want the american dream while 30% want welfare and look to welfare this is being compared to romney's 47% comment. is that a fair camp pairson there? >> well, i think you have to give mitt romney and paul ryan a great deem of credit. they are consistently ar r lyco matically wrong. they can't decide how much of the population should be treated with contempt, 47 or 30 sisters in a real numbers had problem amongst these guys that is why tonight is exciting because mitt romney has got to explain to us tonight how -- how the math works on a budget that proclaims

a reduction in everyone's taxes by 20%. how does he do that, okay, alongside never raising any revenues and not telling us which deductions and loopholes he map plans to close. >> however, the balance of that is the president will also have to answer questions, how will he or 1,000 new science and math teachers been added to the rolls? how will 1 million more manufacturing jobs, that's cup one of the counter questions that the president will answer perhaps tonight as well. >> you could say the answer to that question was the americas jobs act stopped in congress and posed by republicans, which as you know, would have created almost 2 million jobs and by some estimates, would have created about 1.2% in gdp growth.

so you can't separate the expectations of growth and jobs and so on away from the american jobs act. now, i know nobody wants to talk about that and treat it as if it is ancient history. the reality is that was the president's signature attempt to address these issues. teachers, firefighters. but it got nowhere. that doesn't mean he has not made a effort to put something together. he has. >> he will have the opportunity tonight to explain that as well as the republican opposition that he would face in the next term if he is elected. >> direct opposition. direct opposition from vice presidential candidate paul ryan throughout the congress. >> all right, marty b. great to have you on. i can tell you're all fired up. i can't wait to see your show live. bye, martin. be sure to catch more of martin bashir live from denver, coming up 4 p.m. eastern on msnbc. live reports from our correspondents following president obama and mitt romney. tell you what they are doing. we are like flies on the wall.

plus, jimmy fallon's take on how the much talked about romney zingers will play out. >> i've also been working on some that's what she said zingers. for instance, when obama is talking during the debate, i will just interrupt him and say that's what she said. ha ha ha ha. gets them every time. ha. >> be sure to check out our new station tumbler page, you will find pictures.tumbler.com. it is the rev's birthday. [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus presents the cold truth.

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at least about the strategy early on, the zingers and all of those things but what do we know today, peter? what is the campaign saying, strategy-wise? >> we know this morning that mitt romney was sort of fine tuning his message, the challenge for the president, of course is try to be tight with his answers, succinct in delivering the message he gets acroix. for mitt romney this is what his campaign long viewed as his best opportunity to speak to a massive audience of more than 50 million people that's why they spent time this morning fine tuning the message, relaxing in his hotel some of the day as well. four of his five sons will be with him this evening, grandkids there with him today, ann romney, his wife here as well. but going forward park the governor and his advisers recognize the important opportunity that faces him tonight and they say, you know, in the past, he has written on his sheet of paper, when you see him looking down during the past debates on the podium, on one corner an o to remind him that this was about the president, o for obama. tonight, obviously, for the first time, he probably wouldn't need to write that down, he will be standing across from him. >> the first time they have been

face to face. chuck todd said today, in five years, incredible in itself. add high-profile photo on yesterd -- photo op at chipotle, trying to relax with people in the area. i'm curious the strategy after debate, where all right governor go after the debate is all said and done in colorado today? >> the last face-to-face meeting, as chuck said you five years ago. wasn't since 2004 that the two actually delivered speeches kind of side by side, at a gridiron dinner in washington, d.c. that's white tie event. not really any politics involved there. they have never had a moment like this personal relationship together, going forward to try to couch this as a victory, the romney campaign has events scheduled for thursday in virginia. romney will be standing side by side with a man who helped energize his campaign, paul ryan? >> thank you very much, peter, president obama on his way to denver from nevada, prepping for tonight's debate. nbc news white house correspondent kristen welker

arrived on the press plane ahead of the president. what kind of scoop did you uncover, kristen, as far as strategy and what the president feels right now? >> good afternoon to you, tamron. there is certainly a lot riding on tonight, that's for a sure. in terms of strategy, according to president obama's advisers, he has got to get specific about some of the plans you were mentioning, how is he going to add 1 million manufacturing jobs? how is he going to add teachers? how will he create a really robust economy if he is given another four years when he really wasn't able to do it in the first four years? as you heard peter mention, the president also needs sort of deliver concise, short messages tonight and really to avoid seeming condescending, those are things that could potentially turn off voters, so president obama will be -- [ inaudible ] to his hotel for some down time. since senator john kerry is not

accompanying him, assume the last debates for now are over. in fact, we think he is going to be spending time with his advisers, consulting with him and also some time with the first lady this evening. as you know, polls show the president with a modest lead right now, some sense, cameron, he has the most to lose. there certainly is a lot riding on it. >> kristen, tomorrow, the president will be in wisconsin, right? >> that's absolutely right. back in wisconsin, friday, and then he has one down day on saturday then back on the campaign trail. i will be with him, but of course, going to be hoping that tonight is at least a victory you the president can campaign on that in the next several days. >> thank you. joining me now, nbc news political analyst, former pennsylvania governor ed rendell. thank you so much for your time you governor. >> sure, tamron. how are you? >> i am very good. let me first get your feeling going into this. i know we are several hours out. but what is your gut telling

you? >> i'm as confused and -- as most people. i don't know which way it's going to go is governor romney going to be an attack dog and just try to make it all about the president or is he going to get this -- take this opportunity to lay out his plans clearly to the american people? how is he going to answer the 47% issue? a lot of questions we won't know until the 10, 15 minutes unfold. >> interesting. chip saltsman gave us 30 minutes, you are giving us 10 or 15. >> you will know the tenor in that first question. >> absolutely. talk to you about this nbc news "wall street journal" poll. really singled in on high-interest voters and 75 -- 79%, excuse me, republicans are high interest, 73% democrats high interest. for the president to win, chuck todd and others have talked about, they those really have a huge turnout, latino voters, the numbers are there, but the enthusiasm, at least according to the polling, shows that the

republicans have the advantage and that's why this race remains tight for romney. what's your take on this high-interest and enthusiasm, at least if the numbers are right, higher among republicans? >> i think at the beginning of the year, it was a real problem for democrat, i think the republicans led in high interest or enthusiasm by 10, 12%. now if that poll is correct it is down to 2%, which is statistically insignificant. i think since the convention, democratic interest has gone way up and republican interest has gone down slightly. so, i think it is not going to be much of a difference, 75% republicans, 73% democrats vote, the president wins in all those battleground states, democrats have a registration. the president wins, maybe even going away in those states. so i think the enthusiasm gap that exists in the beginning of the year has been pretty much narrowed, tamron. >> it is interesting. i want to talk about your home state you pennsylvania, ohio as well. a lot of people stunned by the -- i guess significant lead, certainly for the president in that state, nine, ten points

there, he is going to wisconsin, interestingly enough, right after the debates, shoring up, i guess, support and getting the crowd enthusiastic there. but how this race has shaped up with ohio and in pennsylvania, there were concerns about this voter i.d. law the judge has blocked, at least for this general election. what do you make of those two states that you know especially well? >> well, pennsylvania, i think the voter i.d. law had the potential to affect 50, 100,000 votes. that's wiped away now. pretty clear that president obama is going to carry pennsylvania. what the surprise is ohio. always a tossup state. even in the poll today, which showed governor romney narrowing it in virginia and florida. ohio state at eight points f p if ohio folks don't move in the next days after the debate, time for romney folks to cash in ohio. >> you take the media hit for a couple of days there, but ohio, pennsylvania, they represent a

type of voter or a group of voters would know romney needs. tries to make up ground on the auto bailouts saying that is not exactly what i meant at the time, i was really in line with what played out there, we know it was not but the type of voter or the group of voters in ohio that we have talked so much about, white males in particular, working class, middle class people, they are there in that state. >> well, they are, but take pennsylvania. president obama carried by 11% in '08. >> yeah. >> yet he lost 11-12 southwestern democrat registration counties where that blue collar worker exists. he lost them and carried the state by 11%. add tremendous margin in philadelphia and most importantly, the republican suburbs, which used to be -- i mean, which used to be republican now are trending democrat. the governor romney of 2001, the governor romney governor of massachusetts, would have been a strong contender in the philadelphia suburbs and the cleveland suburbs.

the governor romney who ttacked far to the right, like the blunt amendment and say he was for it that romney is going to get swamped in the philadelphia suburbs and the cleveland suburbs. >> governor rendell, thank you so much for having you on. >> thank you. thank you. up next, we will dig deeper into the nbc news poll and why it says tonight's debate is so crucial for governor romney. and the answer may not be what you're thinking right now. but first, there's a lot going on today. here are some things we just thought you should know. education secretary arne duncan is calling for printed textbooks to become obsolete within the next few years. wow. duncan says the u.s. is fall willing behind other nations that are already traps sigging from print to digital school books. and who's going tonight next big cheese? chee-tos hired an artist to make portraits of president obama, governor romney made entirely of cheat toes. each one is made of 2,000 of the snack food. and jimmy fallon had some fun last night with a report

that mitt romney's team stays is loading the candidate up with some zingers aimed at the president. >> for example, when we greet each other onstage before the debate, i'll put my finger on obama's tie and i'll say "hey, there's something on your tie." then when he looks down, i'll slide my finger from his sternum right up to his nostrils and i'll say, "boop!" ha ha-ha ha ha. ♪ that's why the lay i did a tramp ♪ [ female announcer ] ready for a taste of what's hot? check out the latest collection of snacks from lean cuisine. creamy spinach artichoke dip, crispy garlic chicken spring rolls. they're this season's must-have accessory. lean cuisine. be culinary chic.

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as a result, their students achieve at a higher level. let's develop more stars in education. let's invest in our teachers... ...so they can inspire our students. let's solve this. is efficiently absorbed in small continuous amounts. citracal slow release continuously releases calcium plus d with efficient absorption in one daily dose. citracal slow release. more now on the latest nbc news/"wall street journal" poll, how much can one phrase change the course of a campaign? our first team notes that the 48% comment for romney has taken its quote. after hearing a description of the comment, 45% of the registered voters say it gave them a more negative impression

of the gop presidential nominee. joining me now, mark murray, nbc news political editor. that answers the question t can make a big difference. one phrase. >> it did make a big difference when you looked a mitt romney. also worth noting his favorable, unfavorable rating still remains below water, where more people have a negative opinion of mitt romney than a positive one. when you look and the mir's ballot standing, he went from five-point deficit two weeks ago to a three-point deficit now. we are seeing some tight thing in the race the totality of the entire poll, whether it is that 47% comment or what people have actually seen and heard about mitt romney the past two weeks was a pretty negative outlook. >> as i understand it and you've noted i believe in first read today this new romney ad, i want to play tax direct answer perhaps to those people in the public concerned about that comment. let me play it. >> more americans live in

poverty than when president obama took office. we should measure our compassion by how many of our fellow americans are able to get good-paying jobs, not by how many are on welfare. >> so, how does that answer the statement he made at that fund-raiser? >> tamron, it is an attempt. in fact, his second tv ad we have seen, an earlier one was a minute tv ad this is a short 3er 0-second one, trying to do everything they can to try to repair the damage. you have played it obama ad flag battleground states across the country where they are hitting at that mares 47% comment and i will make the point that in our nbc news/"wall street journal" poll, mitt romney trails on looking out for the middle class by 20 points so still a lot of work to do >> mark murray, thank you vet. i will see you tomorrow for your thoughts on the postdebate. and the news nation gut check is next. we are tackling the debate. ah.

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all the excitement leading up to the debate tonight, we wanted to know your thoughts about tonight's debate go tour facebook page, facebook.com/news nation. tell us what you think and we are going to actually read some of the reactions on tomorrow' show. don't send pictures of you watching the debate. tomorrow, postdebate reaction from michael mir is con nish, ezra klein, keith boy kin and others. bring your pictures of facebook. we will upload those, too. just keep your clothes on. "the cycle" is up next. vo: tougt romney. when a flood of chinese tires threatened a thousand american jobs... it was president obama who stood up to china and protected american workers. mitt romney attacked obama's decision... said standing up to china was "bad for the nation and our workers."

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but don't wait. the last day to enroll is december seventh. call now. i'm steve kornacki live in denver where it is t-minute news six hours until the first presidential debate. mitt romney is already here. president obama will touch down this hour. >> i'm crystal ball. vice p